Slidable test jack



Nov. 5, i968 E. KIRBY SLIDABLE TEST JACK Filed May 1l, 1966 mgsggggsgggsgsgsgggsggges United States Patent Office 3,409,860 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 3,409,860 SLIDABLE TEST JACK Edward Kirby, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to United- Carr Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 11, 1966, Ser. No. 549,421 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-121) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A test jack carrying a contact member and having au insulating body slidably engageable with the insulating body of a connector unit. The contact member of the test jack having a terminal element electrically engageable with selected contact member carried by the conhector body.

This invention relates generally to test jacks and more specifically to test jacks used for multicontact connectors.

An object of the present invention is to provide `a test jack having means of slidably engaging a multicontact connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a test jack having means of mechanically engaging other test jacks.

In multiple contact connectors it is sometimes necessary to make tests at various locations or points along the connector. Furthermore, it is also desirable to simultaneously make several tests at different points `and maintain the probe in place while the tests are being made and evaluated. The present inventor does not know of any means of accomplishing the mentioned requirements except by manually placing the individual probes against the contacts while the test is being made. Obviously, the hands of the operator are not free when utilizing this method of -recording data and it would be extremely difiicult to hold more than two probes efficiently.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the test jack showing the socket;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the test jack showing the stud;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the test jack;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of an edge connector for use with the test jack; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the test jack engaged to the edge connector shown in FIG. 5.

There is shown a test jack comprising a rectangular body 10 having a base portion 12, a forward wall 13, a rear wall 14 joined by two side walls 1S extending from the base portion 12 defining a cavity 16. An aperture 18 is formed through the base portion 12 from the cavity 16 into a shallow recess 20 formed in the -base portion 12. A leg 22 extends from each side edge of the base portion 12 in a direction opposite to that of the walls 13, 14 and 15 as shown in FIG. 1. The legs 22 are in spaced opposed relationship and each of them has an extension 24 directed toward the lateral mid-plane of the test jack. The extensions 24 are rectangular in configuration. If desired, the inner surfaces of the legs 22 may be formed in angular relationship to each other and thereby form a dovetail configuration.

A raised locking portion 26 is formed on the face of the forward wall 13, extending from the top of the body 10 toward the base portion 12 for a predetermined distance, and has a dovetail configuration. A slot or socket 28 is formed on the external surface of the rear wall 14 extending from the top of the body 10 to a predetermined point and has a dovetail configuration `adapted to mate with the raised locking portion -26 as will be Set forth with more particularity hereinafter.

A contact element 30, adapted to be engaged within the cavity 16, comprises a tubular body portion 32 having a series of longitudinal slots 34 formed therein, having its center portion pinched inwardly and having a finger 36 in spaced parallel relationship to the axis of the body portion 32 connected to the body portion 32 by a connector -portion 38 as shown in FIG. 2. The contact tab 40 extends in an axial direction from the terminal end of the body portion 32 opposite that from which the connector portion 38 extends.

The contact element 30 is assembled with the body 10 by dropping the body portion 32 into the cavity 16 with the contact tab 40 extending through the aperture 18. The contact tab 40 may then be bent into abutting relationship with the iioor of the recess 20.

The connector portion 38 fits into a depression formed on the upper surface of a side wall 15 and the finger 36 extends along the outer surface of the side walls 15 in spaced parallel relation thereto. The free terminal end of the finger 36 is bent :at right angles to provide a contact tail 42.

The edge connector 44 with which the test jack is used comprises generally a base 46 having walls extending therefrom to define a card slot in a manner well known in the arts. The base 46 has a series of holes formed therethrough and also has contact terminals 50 extending therethrough as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A rib 52 extends from the undersurface of the base 46 along the midline thereof and between the contact terminals 50. The rib 52 as shown in the drawing is T-shaped in configuration, however, if the legs 22 are formed to define a dovetail then the rib 52 should also be formed to define a dovetail.

One test jack may be assembled with another by either snapping the raised locking portion 26 into a slot 28 in another test jack or the slot 28 may be yslid into engagement with the male or raised locking portion 26.

To engage va single test jack with an edge connector 44 the legs 22 may be either slid into or snapped into engagement with the rib 52. The test jack or test jacks having been slid or snapped into the proper discrete position can then have their fingers 36 attached onto the appropriate contact terminals 50 by methods well known in the arts. One method is to solder the contact tail 42 to a contact terminal 50 after passing it through an aperture formed therein.

With reference to the foregoing description it is to be understood that what has been disclosed herein represents only a single embodiment of the invention and is to be construed as illustrative rather than restrictive in nature and that the invention is best described by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a test jack and `an edge connector, said test .jack comprising ia body, contact means engaged within said body, socket means formed on the external surface of said -body and a raised locking p0rtion formed on another external surface of said body in spaced opposed relation to said socket means and a pair of legs extending from said body, said legs having means of slidably engaging a rib extending from said edge connector and said contact having means of electrically engaging a terminal extending from said edge connector.

2. Combination of a test jack and a connector, said connector comprising an insulating body carrying contact members, said contact members extending exte-riorly of said insulating body, said test jack having an insulating body and a contact member assembled with said body, said contact mem-ber of said test jack having a terminal element disposed exteriorly of said body of said test jack, said connector body and said body of said test jack having means for attachable engagement of said test jack body with said connector body at selected points on said connector body, and said terminal element of said contact of said test jack having means for electrically engaging a contact member carried by said Connector body.

3. The combination of a test jack and a connector, said connector comprising an insulating body carrying contact members, said contact members extending exteriorly of l0 said insulating body, said insulating body having a projecting element onV an outer surface thereon said test jack having an insulating body and a Contact member assembled with said body, said contact member of said test jack having a terminal element disposed exteriorly of said body of said test jack, said body of said test jack having means for slidably engaging said projecting element of said connector body, and said terminal element of said contact member of said test jack having means for electrically engaging a Contact member carried by said body of said connector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,892,176 6/1959 Gordon 339-198 3,123,425 3/ 1964 Blanchet 339-198 FOREIGN PATENTS 891,610 3/1962 Great Britain` 15 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

I. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

